Question:medium

How many different type of gametes can potentially be produced by an organism with the genotype aaBbccdd?

Show Hint

To quickly solve these problems, just scan the genotype and count how many pairs have one capital and one lowercase letter (like Bb). Ignore any pairs with two capital (BB) or two lowercase (bb) letters. Then, calculate 2 to the power of that count.
Updated On: Feb 18, 2026
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Show Solution

The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Concept Overview:
The variety of gametes an organism produces depends on the number of heterozygous gene pairs in its genotype. Homozygous pairs (e.g., aa, cc, dd) yield only one allele type and do not increase gamete diversity.

Step 2: Formula:
The number of different gamete types is calculated as:
\[ \text{Number of gamete types} = 2^n \] where \( n \) represents the count of heterozygous gene pairs.

Step 3: Detailed Solution:
1. Identify the genotype: The genotype is aaBbccdd.
2. Count heterozygous pairs (n): Examining each pair:
- aa: Homozygous
- Bb: Heterozygous
- cc: Homozygous
- dd: Homozygous
Only one heterozygous pair exists (Bb), so \( n = 1 \).
3. Calculate gamete number:
Using \( 2^n \) with \( n = 1 \):
\[ \text{Number of gametes} = 2^1 = 2 \] The two possible gamete types are aBcd and abcd.

Step 4: Answer:
The organism produces 2 different gamete types. Therefore, option (A) is correct.
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